FIELD NOTES AUGUST 2019

FIELD NOTES

AUGUST 2019

ISSUE 57

In this edition...Compliance Corner FAQ's, new DICLC resource posted, highlight on self-advocacy from the Kansas DD Council and more...

Questions/comments or to submit content for consideration, contact

Angela Castillo-Epps or call 202-506-5813, ext. 100.

ACCESSIBLE VERSION

COMPLIANCE CORNER

The #1 Frequently Asked Question is…

Are my state plan updates due on August 15th?

No. State plan updates are due on or before January 1, 2020. As a reminder, state plan updates are: updates to objectives including adding an objective, updates to the annual work plan(s) including adding activities, updating expected outputs and outcomes, and updating projected performance measures, Council membership roster, Council staff roster, any changes to Council information or DSA information, change in DSA, projected Council Budget for FY 2020.

But wait! I thought something was due on August 15th

Yes. Any Council making a substantial change to a goal, adding a goal, or deleting a goal to their 5-Year State plan would need to submit a State plan amendment by August 15, 2019. If a Council is making an amendment, a 45-day public comment period was required and an “intent to amend” email would have been sent to the assigned Program Specialist.

How can I find information on my assigned Program Specialist and Fiscal Contact at ACL?

Click on Programmatic & Fiscal Contacts for DD Councils

How do I know what report is due and when?

ITACC Resource – Calendar for Federal Reports: What is Due and When?

FY 2017 Grant Award - REMINDER

FY 2017 Grant Award funds are currently in the liquidation period. The liquidation of funds must be completed by September 30, 2019 – this includes all draw downs from the payment management system and payment of obligations.

Note: FY 2017 Grant award funds expire on 9/30/2019.

Important note: A program instruction was issued February 4, 2019 on the topic of the liquidation waiver process, eligibility, and instructions. As outlined in the Program Instruction, the deadline for requesting a liquidation waiver has passed, and requests to extend the liquidation period will not be considered after August 1, 2019.

FY 2020 Estimated Grant Award Project Period, Obligation, and Liquidation Dates

FY 20 Period of Performance: 10/1/2019 - 9/30/2021

FY 20 Liquidation Period: 10/1/2021 - 9/30/2022

DD Act Education & Resources

Demonstration of new approaches, Part 2 (Sustainability and Systemic Change)

(K) DEMONSTRATION OF NEW APPROACHES TO SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.— (i) IN GENERAL.—The Council may support and conduct, on a time-limited basis, activities to demonstrate new approaches to serving individuals with developmental disabilities that are a part of an overall strategy for systemic change... Section 125(c)(5)(K)(l)

In the June edition of Field Notes, we shared Program Instructions from AIDD on Time Limited Demonstration Projects.

To follow up... "How does a DD Council sustain its activities so they can continue to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and families beyond DD Council funding?" "How do "new approaches" become embedded in the policies, procedures and practices of community services and supports?"

The answer lies in sustainability. Sustainability is more than making sure there is a funder after DD Council project funds are exhausted, and it needs to be considered from the very outset of DD Council work. For more information on sustainability, including sub-award agreement language, tips from the US Department of Labor, key steps to planning, sustainability self-assessment and more, click below on itacc's sustainability resource.

Sustainability Resource (English)

Sustainability Resource (Spanish)

DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE (DICLC)

NOW POSTED!

From Outreach to Engagement: Culturally and Linguistically Competent Engagement of Members & Communities

Suggested Strategies by and for DD Councils

The DICLC strategies resource document is now posted on the ITACC website's

DD Council Strategies Page .

The DICLC work group led the development of the only compilation of strategies by and for DD Councils. The document includes information on strategies for Engaging Diverse Communities, Relationship Building, Diversifying the Council Grants Process and more...

This resource is a "living document" so be sure to check the page periodically for updated information.

Friendly reminder: Attend the Council Consortium call on August 20th at 3:00 pm Eastern. The call will provide an opportunity to address the targeted disparity element.

More information to come!

DD Council network, if you have state specific questions related to targeted disparity or other cultural and linguistic competence needs, contact [email protected] or call 202-506-5813, ext. 100

nTIDE Employment Data & Webinars

nTIDE July 2019 Jobs Report: Positive Pattern Continues for Job Seekers with Disabilities

Economic indicators rose again for Americans with disabilities, outpacing the modest gains for people without disabilities, according to most recent National Trends in Disability Employment – Monthly Update (nTIDE), issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD).

The hot topic in human resource management today is Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), a general term for initiatives aimed at diversifying the demographics of the workplace. One factor contributing to the emphasis on D&I is the pressing need to expand the pool of job seekers. As the labor market tightens, the pool of qualified candidates shrinks, leaving positions unfilled and hindering productivity. Businesses are looking more closely at people who are striving to work, but face challenges in connecting with employers, including people with disabilities. For the full article and links to more information, CLICK HERE

For archived materials from previous Lunch & Learn webinars, CLICK HERE

COUNCIL HIGHLIGHT ~ Kansas

Strengthening Self-Advocacy in the state of Kansas

The Importance of Partnership

The Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities collaborates to help strengthen statewide self-advocacy led by individuals with I/DD to increase the advocacy capacity of self-advocates.

KCDD has forged a partnership with the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) and the Self-Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK) to provide integrated leadership training opportunities for self-advocates, family members, providers, and support staff. Self-Advocates participate in world class leadership training alongside community and business leaders at KLC. Self-Advocates are able to take the skills and leadership competencies they've learned back to their local communities and become more engaged in personal, collaborative, and civic leadership.

The principles taught at KLC stem from one overriding philosophy: That leadership isn’t a position; it is an activity. KLC believes that anyone, at any place, and at any time can practice leadership. The principles taught in these leadership trainings have spread across Kansas and into regional and national self advocacy networks. KLC prepares people of all abilities to address the challenges they face through leadership to create healthier Kansas communities. The Center offers three different courses from 2, 2 ½ and 7-day training programs.

On Saturday, June 22, 2019, SACK held their annual conference in Topeka, KS. One of the Breakout Learning Sessions was devoted to those self-advocates who have attended the Kansas Leadership Center training addressing the audience about their experience. Along with 7 other self-advocate panelists, SACK President Jason Barrett led the session and spoke multiple times throughout the weekend about leadership skills. Jason and other self-advocates talked about their experiences while attending the KLC Leadership Training, and how the process helped them learn about their classmates as well as how it helped others learn and understand about them and their disability. Every individual in the breakout session who attended the KLC training felt that they had learned a lot and that the training helped them develop skills to better advocate for themselves and has encouraged them to actively pursue leadership roles in their community. Some talked about being active members on their city council with one person sharing her excitement about being the treasurer for her council.

Session leader Jason Barrett said that the skills he learned through KLC training gave him the confidence to run for and be elected by his peers as the SACK President. He said that he is now using those skills to advocate for himself and others. All of the panelists in the session encouraged conference participants to attend the KLC Leadership Center training.

For more information about the Kansas Leadership Center, please visit their website: https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/

To stay connected and learn more about the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, visit our website here: https://kcdd.org and like our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/kcdd.org/

DD Councils, this Council Highlight is your opportunity to share strategies, policy and initiative successes, resources and more. Contact Angela at [email protected] or call 202-506-5813 by the 30th of each month to submit content for consideration.

To reach NACDD/ITACC staff, please feel free to contact:

Sheryl Matney Director of Technical Assistance

202-506-5813 ext. 148, [email protected]

Angela Castillo-Epps Technical Assistance Specialist

202-506-5813 ext. 100, [email protected]